USA

Tastings at Signor Vineyards, Fredericksburg, Texas

We stopped in at Signor Vineyards when visiting friends in Fredericksburg, Texas to sample their wines.  My friend is a wine club member so two of our tastings ($20 each) were complimentary. The wines in our tasting included the 2019 Wildflower ($40.00), 2019 Pinot Noir- Rogue Valley ($58.00), 2016 Rochambeau ($42) and the 2019 Estate Tempranillo ($54). We sipped those while nibbling their charcuterie board ($30) that paired well with their wines. It featured cheese (Van Sorman, manchego, cheddar and smoked gouda) with soppressata, Spanish chorizo, nuts, dried & fresh fruit, cornichons, olives and crackers. I was so impressed with two of their wines that I decided to share (I [...]

By |2021-12-18T09:25:06-05:00December 6th, 2021|Bites from the Road, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Shrimp Paesanos at Paesanos Riverwalk, San Antonio

"You must have shrimp Paesanos!" exclaimed my friend when she heard I was heading there for the Les Dames d'Escoffier conference.  She suggested sitting at the bar ordering, an appetizer portion of this legendary dish plus their special salad that wasn't on the menu. I was so glad I listened! After the conference, two friends and I walked the Riverwalk to Paesaons for this eponymous dish and that salad. Those three crunchy shrimp ($15) in a lemon-butter-garlic sauce hit the spot! Their special salad was no longer one that only insiders knew; it now appears on the menu. The romaine comes with hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, avocado chunks and [...]

By |2021-12-05T16:45:01-05:00November 23rd, 2021|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch at Kod Kapetan, Hvar, Croatia

On our free day, we took the fast ferry from Split to Hvar to discover this summer resort island in the Adriatic Sea. Before stopping for lunch along the seaside, we walked up to the fortress with beautiful views overlooking the sea. After shopping at local shops, we headed seaside to find a place to dine. Kod Kapetan - near the beach club - was ideal, with good food and friendly service. We ordered what had become our favorite Croatian wine Pošip, this one a 2018 Marijan from Hvar. (180 kunas ~$28). The kitchen served us crisp bruschetta topped with fresh tomatoes. Divine. Next, we shared delicious prawns, even tho [...]

By |2021-11-21T11:46:13-05:00November 14th, 2021|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Bostwicks on the Harbor, East Hampton, NYC

I satisfied my craving for a lobster roll with a sunset meal at Bostwick on the Harbor, sister to Bostwick's Chowder House on route 27 Montauk Highway. This upscale version served food on plates, not paper, offered live music in the parking lot while we waited for our hand-held buzzer to beep. No reservations! For apps, some shared the North Fork steamers cooked in white wine and butter ($29) while I had their hearts of romaine Caesar salad($14). The evening's specials included flavorful linguine with clam sauce with whole and chopped clams, lobster chunks and bay scallops topped with microgreens and minced parsley ($30). The crispy, tender Long Island duck [...]

By |2021-09-12T09:10:31-04:00September 3rd, 2021|USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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New Orleans Upscale Dining: Commanders Palace, GW Fins and Sylvain

This is part one of a sampling of my eating orgy during my recent trip to The Big Easy. What follows are some of my most flavorful dishes from my upscale dining in New Orleans. Favorites from Sylvain — where we dined with Beth D'Addono (the current president of Les Dames d'Escoffier New Orleans) — were:  my classic Sazerac cocktail made with rye whiskey and bitters, both Peychaud's and Angostura, in an Herbsaint rinsed glass ($11); the marinated beet salad with local citrus, pumpkin seeds and coconut milk farm cheese ($11); and the cast-iron cornbread served with a spicy Three Brother cane syrup butter ($7). Sylvain French Quarter 625 Chartres [...]

By |2021-05-23T08:07:04-04:00May 21st, 2021|USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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My Friend’s Place, Pickett’s Village Bar, Maplewood, NJ

Maplewood is only a 30-minute ride from Penn Station on the express train. That's where my friend's restaurant Pickett's Village Bar is located. It opened in May 2019 almost one year after her husband Jim Pickett passed away. Heidi Hovland owns it along with Doug and Beth Sasfai, Brinton Brosius and Ashlee Anthony. They opened the restaurant in honor of his memory and the way he lived his life: "with heartfelt appreciation for how connecting over a drink or a meal brings people closer together and how these connections make life, and all of us in it, better." Pickett's has 24 beers on tap, plus lots more bottles and cans. [...]

By |2020-02-05T19:56:35-05:00February 5th, 2020|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (3) – Sambos

[Continued from A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (2)] Our last breakfast on the trip was at Sambos a family-owned restaurant offering classic fare to start the day. We sat outside across from the beach at the Pacific for our last meal of this trip, as after our meal we were off to the airport, heading home.  One sister had the garden omelet ($14.85). I indulged in their special Huevos Rancheros Special made with poached eggs, layered fried corn tortillas, black beans, cheese and chorizo all topped with salsa and guacamole ($15.50). That was a meal that satiated me for the first leg of my flights home. [...]

By |2020-02-18T15:39:39-05:00January 12th, 2020|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (2)- Bob’s Well Bread Bakery

[Continued from A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (1)] Another day when driving from SLO to Santa Barbara, we stopped at Bob's Well Bread Bakery known for his hand-made artisanal bread. Good bread is something New Yorkers are quite used to, an anomaly in Southern California Proprietor/Boulanger Bob Oswaks was serving that day at this gas station turned bakery. We arrived mid-morning at this order-at-the-counter cafe/bakery and sadly many of the pastries including the Kouign-Amann ($5) that I had read about were sold out. The current cardamom scone ($4) was how I like it, not overly sweet. Also available are sandwiches such as hummus and veggies on [...]

By |2020-02-18T15:39:28-05:00January 12th, 2020|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (1) – Kreuzberg

On our sisters' trip to California recently, we stopped at a few interesting places for breakfast that I wanted to share. In San Louis Obispo (SLO), we let my grand-nephew Kailer, who is attending Cal Poly, select Kreuzberg California on Higuera for breakfast day. It's a local art-adorned hangout serving house-roasted delicious coffee and small bites. One grand-nephew indulged in their Belgian waffle with fruit, maple syrup and dusted with confectioners' sugar ($9). [Continued on A Few Southern California Breakfasts From Our Sisters Trip (2) and (3)] I'd recommend each of these breakfast places mentioned in the three posts if you're in Southern California.   Kreuzberg California 685 Higuera St, [...]

By |2020-02-18T15:38:15-05:00January 12th, 2020|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch at Stonehouse, San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito, CA

After my Connecticut friend who now lives in Montecito picked me up at the Santa Barbara airport we drove up to San Ysidro Ranch for lunch. This idyllic spectacular 500-acre California property is the place where Jackie and Jack (Kennedy, for you millennials) honeymooned as they — guard their guest's privacy. If you recall, Montecito is where the heavy rainfall after the Thomas Fire deforestation caused mudslides forcing the property to close. It reopened this April. Although there's a terrace on the lower level,  we chose the upper one with the spectacular view of the Pacific. We opted for the three-course prixe fixe market menu ($47) that emphasizes local ingredients. [...]

By |2019-11-30T07:43:05-05:00December 25th, 2019|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Italian Meal at Olio E Limone Ristorante, Santa Barbara, CA

One of my responsibilities before heading to California for a sister's trip was to research dining options. Everyone I asked about Santa Barbara restaurants included Olio E Limone Ristorante on their list. We stopped in for lunch at this Italian trattoria, one — according to the photos on the wall — that Julia Child also enjoyed. We each picked one dish and shared them all. Our favorite (not to be missed) is their Soncino con Anatra, that's thick slices of duck breast roasted until only rare (perfect!) over mâche with clumps of goat cheese all drizzled in a balsamic vinaigrette ($19). That dish and what followed worked well with our bottle [...]

By |2019-11-26T10:24:08-05:00December 13th, 2019|USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club + Nashville Palace

The first stop on our Nashville eating and drinking crawl was at the Nashville Palace to listen to "50 Shades of Hay" country music with singer/songwriter Wendy Newcomer on lead vocal and her husband David Spicher on upright bass. We sipped a drink and nibbled some sweet potato fries while enjoying the music. Next, we headed to the unique Fox Bar & Cocktail Club not far from Opryland Hotel, hidden behind Nicoletto’s Italian Kitchen. The Fox serves imaginative, seasonal cocktails changing its offerings monthly. Its unusual multi-page menu is replete with a drink-key explaining the images that accompany their cocktails. That includes the specific glass, the type ice (one cube, [...]

By |2019-11-09T12:47:35-05:00November 25th, 2019|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Folk, Rolf and Daughters’ Sister, East Nashville, Tennessee

Many attendees to Les Dames d'Escoffier International 2019 conference in Nashville last month mentioned dining at Rolf and Daughters, the Mediterranean eats place from James Beard Award-nominated chef Philip Krajeck. Some friends and I instead headed to the chef's newest neighborhood restaurant and bar called Folk in McFerrin Park, East Nashville. It's a hip place with custom artwork from local artist Alex Lockwood and Paul Collins lining the walls. This was our last stop on our eating and drinking crawl that had started with breakfast at the Old School Farm (more Nashville posts to come!) earlier in the day. With pizzas made with flour from non-GMO mills in the region, [...]

By |2019-11-11T14:14:02-05:00November 11th, 2019|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Dinner at Larimar, Spring Lake, NJ

There's an upscale place restaurant on Third Avenue in the beach town Spring Lake that I'd recommend you try. Both the food from Chef Anthony Palangi and service are quite good. Plus you get to bring your own wine with no corkage fee since they do not have a liquor license. I recommend the refreshing fresh summer strawberry salad with shaved fennel, fresh arugula, toasted almonds and chevrè came in a delicate champagne vinaigrette. Worth ordering. Their veal ragu over short twists (casarecce) of al dente pasta was a bit light on the meat although super-flavorful from olives and capers all dusted with shredded pecorino ($27). I also suggest the [...]

By |2019-08-30T11:21:32-04:00August 21st, 2019|USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Ocean at Main, Laguna Beach, California

While in Laguna Beach (CA), I sampled Chef Craig Strong’s approachable eclectic Coastal California cuisine at Ocean at Main. The restaurant is located in the early 1940’s building that once housed the city's Federal Savings and Loan. We sat outside on the covered patio, which was perfect for us as when we sat down for drinks, both grandkids had fallen asleep — one in a stroller, the other carried in and laid down on the bench. Always trying the spiciest cocktail on the list, I went for their tasty Lover's Beach Retreat made with jalapeno-infused tequila. Quite nice with a slight heat kick All our apps are worth trying, including [...]

By |2019-07-09T10:58:52-04:00July 14th, 2019|USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar, San Clemente, California

We decided to meet at the Fisherman's at the wharf in San Clemente as it was about half-way between where I was staying and my friend's home. We met on a train from Antwerp to the then ferry in  — gulp — 1965; we've been connected ever since. The sun hadn't yet risen high enough to shine on the deck, so we sat near a heater to keep us warm until it rose enough to do the job. We each had a bowl of their creamy clam chowder, chock full of the bivalve mollusks and potato chunks. A soup rich enough to be a meal in itself — especially along [...]

By |2019-04-20T20:53:36-04:00April 6th, 2019|USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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On the Beach in Newport (CA) at the Beachcomber Cafe

What a treat to meet my friend at the Beachcomber Cafe on the beach in Newport for lunch one sunny-California winter day. I sipped a glass of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, $13) while trying to look at the menu. I say trying as I found it hard to take my eyes off the surf. On my friend's recommendation, we both ordered the fish tacos that she claimed were the best thing on the menu. The tender chunks of mahi mahi tacos sat atop shredded lettuce on flour tortillas, topped (2 for $17.95) with pico de gallo, cilantro cream, a dab of guacamole and pickled onions. They came with [...]

By |2019-03-19T03:12:00-04:00March 7th, 2019|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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West Street Grill, Litchfield, CT

After wandering around the stores of Litchfield, we started looking for a place to get a bite. With my friend on a very restricted diet, we stopped in a couple of places prior to ending up at West Street Grill owned by James O'Shea, one of the most caring restaurateurs I've met. The allergy restrictions included no dairy, bread, pasta, pickled items, beans, corn, soy sauce, dried fruit and more. James — who has family members with various dietary restrictions — listened attentively before having his chef make an omelet filled with such flavorful ingredients my friend begged for the recipe!  A simple mesclun salad came with her eggs.  The black [...]

By |2018-07-14T10:01:13-04:00July 12th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Fairfax Coffee Shop, Berkeley Springs, WV

While in Berkeley Springs (WV) to judge an international water competition, I stopped into the local Fairfax Coffee Shop for breakfast. I was glad I did. I sampled the Joey Special for breakfast, a housemade biscuit topped with a farm-fresh egg, melted sharp Cheddar cheese and tomato 🍅 (my special request) in lieu of their pickle chips. My breakfast buddy indulged in one of the good morning muffins ($3). Both were fabulous to the last crumb. We happened to meet and chat with proprietress Trey Johanson, who re-opened this coffee shop as a town hospitable gathering place, while she and her husband hold down other jobs. Fairfax Coffee Shop is worth the side trip. [...]

By |2018-04-01T09:09:46-04:00April 24th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lot 12 Public House, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

When I decide to accept the invitation to judge the Berkeley Springs (WV) International Water Tasting, the friend who invited me mentioned that we'd be dining together that weekend at Lot 12 Public House. It's chef Damian Heath had been selected as a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation Awards for the southeast region many times. I looked forward to experiencing his cooking. Lot 12 Public House is in a beautifully restored 1913 house, where dining on the Victorian porch is an option, weather permitting. We dined inside in the homey atmosphere one rainy evening and noticed the artwork of Damian's folks lining the walls. Our group of eleven was too [...]

By |2018-03-08T08:41:52-05:00April 13th, 2018|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|1 Comment
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